6,071 research outputs found
System configuration, fault detection, location, isolation and restoration: a review on LVDC Microgrid protections
Low voltage direct current (LVDC) distribution has gained the significant interest of research due to the advancements in power conversion technologies. However, the use of converters has given rise to several technical issues regarding their protections and controls of such devices under faulty conditions. Post-fault behaviour of converter-fed LVDC system involves both active converter control and passive circuit transient of similar time scale, which makes the protection for LVDC distribution significantly different and more challenging than low voltage AC. These protection and operational issues have handicapped the practical applications of DC distribution. This paper presents state-of-the-art protection schemes developed for DC Microgrids. With a close look at practical limitations such as the dependency on modelling accuracy, requirement on communications and so forth, a comprehensive evaluation is carried out on those system approaches in terms of system configurations, fault detection, location, isolation and restoration
A Review of Fault Diagnosing Methods in Power Transmission Systems
Transient stability is important in power systems. Disturbances like faults need to be segregated to restore transient stability. A comprehensive review of fault diagnosing methods in the power transmission system is presented in this paper. Typically, voltage and current samples are deployed for analysis. Three tasks/topics; fault detection, classification, and location are presented separately to convey a more logical and comprehensive understanding of the concepts. Feature extractions, transformations with dimensionality reduction methods are discussed. Fault classification and location techniques largely use artificial intelligence (AI) and signal processing methods. After the discussion of overall methods and concepts, advancements and future aspects are discussed. Generalized strengths and weaknesses of different AI and machine learning-based algorithms are assessed. A comparison of different fault detection, classification, and location methods is also presented considering features, inputs, complexity, system used and results. This paper may serve as a guideline for the researchers to understand different methods and techniques in this field
Monitoring and Fault Location Sensor Network for Underground Distribution Lines
One of the fundamental tasks of electric distribution utilities is guaranteeing a continuous
supply of electricity to their customers. The primary distribution network is a critical part of these
facilities because a fault in it could affect thousands of customers. However, the complexity of
this network has been increased with the irruption of distributed generation, typical in a Smart
Grid and which has significantly complicated some of the analyses, making it impossible to apply
traditional techniques. This problem is intensified in underground lines where access is limited. As a
possible solution, this paper proposes to make a deployment of a distributed sensor network along
the power lines. This network proposes taking advantage of its distributed character to support new
approaches of these analyses. In this sense, this paper describes the aquiculture of the proposed
network (adapted to the power grid) based on nodes that use power line communication and energy
harvesting techniques. In this sense, it also describes the implementation of a real prototype that
has been used in some experiments to validate this technological adaptation. Additionally, beyond
a simple use for monitoring, this paper also proposes the use of this approach to solve two typical
distribution system operator problems, such as: fault location and failure forecasting in power cables.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Government of Spain project Sistema Inteligente Inalámbrico para Análisis y Monitorización de Líneas de Tensión Subterráneas en Smart Grids (SIIAM) TEC2013-40767-RMinisterio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte, Government of Spain, for the funding of the scholarship Formación de Profesorado Universitario 2016 (FPU 2016
An Effective EMTR-Based High-Impedance Fault Location Method for Transmission Lines
This paper summarizes the electromagnetic time reversal (EMTR) technique for
fault location, and further numerically validates its effectiveness when the
fault impedance is negligible. In addition, a specific EMTR model considering
the fault impedance is derived, and the correctness of the model derivation is
verified by various calculation methods. Based on this, we found that when the
fault impedance is large, the existing EMTR methods might fail to accurately
locate the fault. We propose an EMTR method that improves the location effect
of high-impedance faults by injecting double-ended signals simultaneously.
Theoretical calculations show that this method can achieve accurate location
for high-impedance faults. To further illustrate the effectiveness, the
proposed method is compared with the existing EMTR methods and the most
commonly used traveling wave-based method using wavelet transform. The
simulation results show that the proposed double-ended EMTR method can
effectively locate high-impedance faults, and it is more robust against
synchronization errors compared to the traveling wave method. In addition, the
proposed method does not require the knowledge or the a priori guess of the
unknown fault impedance
International White Book on DER Protection : Review and Testing Procedures
This white book provides an insight into the issues surrounding the impact of increasing levels of DER on the generator and network protection and the resulting necessary improvements in protection testing practices. Particular focus is placed on ever increasing inverter-interfaced DER installations and the challenges of utility network integration. This white book should also serve as a starting point for specifying DER protection testing requirements and procedures. A comprehensive review of international DER protection practices, standards and recommendations is presented. This is accompanied by the identifi cation of the main performance challenges related to these protection schemes under varied network operational conditions and the nature of DER generator and interface technologies. Emphasis is placed on the importance of dynamic testing that can only be delivered through laboratory-based platforms such as real-time simulators, integrated substation automation infrastructure and fl exible, inverter-equipped testing microgrids. To this end, the combination of fl exible network operation and new DER technologies underlines the importance of utilising the laboratory testing facilities available within the DERlab Network of Excellence. This not only informs the shaping of new protection testing and network integration practices by end users but also enables the process of de-risking new DER protection technologies. In order to support the issues discussed in the white paper, a comparative case study between UK and German DER protection and scheme testing practices is presented. This also highlights the level of complexity associated with standardisation and approval mechanisms adopted by different countries
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Diagnostic Applications for Micro-Synchrophasor Measurements
This report articulates and justifies the preliminary selection of diagnostic applications for data from micro-synchrophasors (µPMUs) in electric power distribution systems that will be further studied and developed within the scope of the three-year ARPA-e award titled Micro-synchrophasors for Distribution Systems
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Power system fault prediction using artificial neural networks
The medium term goal of the research reported in this paper was the development of a major in-house suite of strategic computer aided network simulation and decision support tools to improve the management of power systems. This paper describes a preliminary research investigation to access the feasibility of using an Artificial Intelligence (AI) method to predict and detect faults at an early stage in power systems. To achieve this goal, an AI based detector has been developed to monitor and predict faults at an early stage on particular sections of power systems. The detector only requires external measurements taken from the input and output nodes of the power system. The AI detection system is capable of rapidly predicting a malfunction within the system . Simulation will normally take place using equivalent circuit representation. Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) are used to construct a hierarchical feed-forward structure which is the most important component in the fault detector. Simulation of a transmission line (2-port circuit ) has already been carried out and preliminary results using this system are promising. This approach provided satisfactory results with accuracy of 95% or higher
An equivalent circuit for the evaluation of cross-country fault currents in medium voltage (MV) distribution networks
A Cross-Country Fault (CCF) is the simultaneous occurrence of a couple of Line-to-Ground Faults (LGFs), affecting different phases of same feeder or of two distinct ones, at different fault locations. CCFs are not uncommon in medium voltage (MV) public distribution networks operated with ungrounded or high-impedance neutral: despite the relatively small value of LGF current that is typical of such networks, CCF currents can be comparable to those that are found in Phase-To-Phase Faults, if the affected feeder(s) consists of cables. This occurs because the faulted cables' sheaths/screens provide a continuous, relatively low-impedance metallic return path to the fault currents. An accurate evaluation is in order, since the resulting current magnitudes can overheat sheaths/screens, endangering cable joints and other plastic sheaths. Such evaluation, however, requires the modeling of the whole MV network in the phase domain, simulating cable screens and their connections to the primary and secondary substation earth electrodes by suitable computer programs, such as ATP (which is the acronym for alternative transient program) or EMTP (the acronym for electromagnetic transient program), with substantial input data being involved. This paper presents a simplified yet accurate circuit model of the faulted MV network, taking into account the CCF currents' return path (cable sheaths/screens, ground conductors, and earthing resistances of secondary substations). The proposed CCF model can be implemented in a general-purpose simulation program, and it yields accurate fault currents estimates: for a 20 kV network case study, the comparison with accurate ATP simulations evidences mismatches mostly smaller than 2%, and never exceeding 5%
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